Romeo and His Juliet
by ace95
Summary: It was pure irony but it didnt matter. They were meant for each other...
1. We Begin Our Story

Juliet, contrary to her name, had never been in love. Even though she was a hopeless romantic, as she liked to think of herself, she had never found anyone who seemed to fit the form of how a boy should feel about her.

Sure, she had had crushes before but she never seemed to fall for a guy like her friends constantly did. Take Rachel for example. Rachel lived as if everyday was Valentines Day and was seen with a new boyfriend on her arm every other day of the week. She was a flirt, yeah, but still. She had loved so many she made the word sound like a joke.

Then there was Sara. She had been dating her boyfriend Lucas for nearly two years and even though they had split up dozens of times over the years, they always seemed to find a way back to each other.

Juliet was tired of searching for a great love by the age of 16. She was sure that if she would find someone she would have by then. And, as she watched her friends fall into the game of love, Juliet feel into great novels and discovered Heathcliff and his Catherine, Antony and his Cleopatra and most of all, Romeo and his Juliet.

Juliet's mother, Elsa Capitree, had been a Shakespeare historian since her childhood and felt that it was only poetic to name her only daughter after, what she believed, to be his greatest character. The mother and daughter were close…once. But economic crisis and her mother's love of vodka had drifted them apart and had forced the women to move away from their Chicago apartment and into the cold suburban town of North Shaw in Illinois. The only good part of this, in Juliet's mind, was meeting Rachel and Sara.

The town they had moved to was rough. Fights often broke out in the streets and drug bust were made up as a regular event. The neighboring town of St. Andrews was made of wealthy families and oversized homes of stone and brick. The only thing these two areas shared was a school. The outdated Springwood High that worked as a mirror to the teens it taught. Not everyone had everything and Juliet had learned that a long time ago.

Ben, her older cousin had always been her big brother in a way. He protected her from bullies in Chicago and kept an eye out for her in the neighborhoods they had grown up in. He wasn't there anymore though. Sure, he had promised to visit her on a regular basis in North Shaw but how long would that last? In the year Juliet and her mother had lived there he had missed more of their visits than Juliet would have liked.

Juliet stood in her small bedroom; it was only big enough for her twin bed and a small

dresser; and looked out her window. Even though an over sized brick building stood in the way of her view, she could still see a glimpse of the stars. Ben had taught her the constellations when she was young and it was a lesson that had always stuck with her. Her favorite was Cassiopeia. She loved stories that ended tragically and found it very poetic that she, Juliet Capitree, the daughter of a Shakespeare scholar, would think that.

Her cell phone buzzed on her bed and saw that it was Sara calling.

"Hey Jules, you coming to the party tonight?" She asked in a bit of a hurry.

Juliet had completely forgotten about the party that one of the many Springwood students was hosting tonight. It would be a very social event and Juliet wasn't quite sure if she was up to that tonight after the rampage her drunken mother had just thrown. "Um, I really don't know," Juliet said as she pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "I might. Could you pick me up?"

"Yeah. Be ready in ten." Sara said before hanging up the phone with a click.

Juliet looked down at her self. The worn and ripped jeans and plain white tee-shirt would have to do. She wouldn't have enough time to change her clothes so she would have to make the hair work. Her long black hair feel in their natural waves as usual but with a hair clip she pulled a bit back from either side and let the rest hang loose.

She made her way out of her room and into the living room where her mother was sitting with her bottle in front of the television.

"Mom, I'm going out for a little. Do you need anything while I'm out?"

Elsa looked up at her daughter, her gray eyes bloodshot. "No, take a coat." She said simply and returned to her program.

At least she still cared, Juliet thought to herself. Enough to care if she took a jacket or not.

Interrupting her mid thought, Juliet heard the sound of Sara's jeep outside the building. "I have to go mom. Call me if you need me. Do you still know my number?" Juliet asked.

Her mother nodded once. That was the goodbye she gave to her only child. A nod.

Juliet walked outside to the sound of a fight and Sara's jeep blasting music from inside. Sara smiled and unlocked the doors for her friend with a smile. "Hey Jules, what's up?"

Juliet shrugged. "I don't know. Mom's not doing so great and I haven't slept much." She said as Sara mouthed out the lyrics to the song she was listening to.

Juliet looked out the window at the changing scenery. Slowly, they were leaving the slums of the town and entering the beautiful St. Andrews area where the party was held. Juliet couldn't remember the last time she had been to a party but she had an idea of what was to be expected at this one. Beer, music, dancing and more beer. Wasn't that the stereotypical teen party?

"So," Juliet began as she looked out the plastic window in the car. "who's going to be at the party?"

Please review, even if you have bad reviews, tell me.


	2. The Party

Romeo watched the tree's go by as he sped down the winding suburban road. He had seen these tree's dozens of times before and he felt as if seeing them anymore would be the death of him. He hated St. Andrews but it was all he had ever known. What was he really complaining about anyway? From the time he was born he had a silver spoon dangling from his mouth. He had no reason what so ever to be so steer crazy.

_But it wasn't that easy_, he thought to himself. He was getting claustrophobic in the identical brick houses that lie beyond the forest. Every family was the same and every_body _was as well.

Take his mother, Lauren Monti for example. She didn't know anything else but charity benefits, her book club (which was actually more like a gossip club since no one bothered to open a book, only their mouths) and organizing his father's business day. She had never even graduated college since his father had swept her off her feet and married her before she turned twenty.

His father was a ghost for lack of a better word. The great Lee Monti, or that's what his fellow Harvard graduate friends called him, was constantly away working with one of his many family companies that Romeo would one day inherit. Lee was only ever home for a few days at a time and spent nearly all of that time working from his oversized desk in one of the many rooms of the estate.

Since Romeo was an only child and for the most part, an orphan, he dedicated the majority of his time to parties. Romeo was popular and he knew that. That was why he was dating the most powerful girl in the school, Rose Cunningham. Rose was the cheer caption along with a list of other titles including Homecoming Queen, Junior Class President and lead actress in every school production.

Romeo had it all…but why did he feel so empty? He actually felt nothing towards Rose other than an erge to tell her to stop bleaching her hair a ridiculas shade of blond. His friends were for the most part, jerks. They picked on the underclassmen and used girls like toys. Romeo could think of only two people he could call friends, Lyle and Thomas, both hated Springwood almost as much as he did.

Romeo pulled into Lyle's stretched out driveway ready to head over to a party that night. Lyle opened the heavy front door and gestured to Romeo to wait for a minute.

"Dude," Romeo called from an open window in the car but Lyle had already stepped back in the house. Romeo sighed and checked his vibrating Blackberry in his pocket. It was a text from Rose saying she wouldn't be able to make it to the party. Finally, a night away from her prying fingers.

Just as Romeo was putting his phone back into his jean pocket Lyle opened the car door and took a seat. "Sorry man, my sister needed help on a project." He apologized.

"Nah, its okay," Romeo mumbled as he pulled back out of the drive way. "no rush."

It was silent for a while until they started getting closer to the parties location.

"I heard that everyone's gonna be there." Lyle said knowing his best friend would remain in his trance.

Romeo watched as cars full of familiar faces formed a line heading to the party. Slowly, Romeo's black SUV made its way up the curving road where a multilevel house full of teenagers awaited. With out anywhere else to go he was forced to park the car a few dozen meters from the house or so.

"Sorry," he told Lyle as he unbuckled himself form the seat. "no where else to go."

Lyle chuckled, just like Romeo to apologize for parking only a few minutes from the place.

Romeo zipped his designer sweatshirt up and jammed his hands in the pockets. Lyle knew not to say anything to his friend; it would only depress Romeo more if his attitude was noticeable.

As the two boys made their way to the front door of the noisy house, a girl in simple blue jeans rushed by with a friend. Her black hair was blowing in her face as her friend, a girl Romeo had seen only in the busy hallways of Springwood from time to time, tightened her grip on the mystery girl. Lyle noticed the dazed look on Romeo's face and quickly buzzed a name into Romeo's ear. "Juliet Capitree."

Romeo snorted to himself and continued his way to the house. _That was ironic_, he thought to himself. _Juliet? Not in million years_.

* *

The music thumped in Romeo's head and a horrible feeling of dizziness washed over him. He couldn't tell if it was the booze (which he had his full of at the party), the music or the memory of that girl, Juliet. In a desperate attempt to escape the booming party, Romeo slipped out of the teenage filled room and made his way across the mansion to the farthest room he could find.

The library was just like the one at Romeo's own home, oversized and full of show. Leather bound books and hunting trophies lined the walls displaying a sense of authority. Romeo fell into one of the worn leather chairs and took a sip from his cup. The liquid inside the red plastic cup was pure booze. A mix of so many liquors he couldn't remember the exact formula of the elixir.

A group of gossiping girls walked by the open library doors and sent a shiver up Romeo's spine. They were the one and only kind of girl at Springwood.

_But_, he thought. _Juliet was different. She wasn't gossiping and she wasn't wearing anything that looked name brand like the usual girls. She wasn't even blond like most girls in St. Andrews. _

Romeo stood up and moped out of the library. With his head down and thoughts on Juliet, he shuffled through the crowded halls. He wanted to get far away from the party and to his surprise, imagined leaving the party with Juliet. He didn't even know her…hell, he hadn't even talked to her and yet there she was, in his head, kissing him like no other girl had ever felt in his life.

Just as his imagination was getting away with him a collision of destiny feel in his lap like an anvil. Her name was Juliet.


	3. I'll Find You

_Wow, I have over 80 hits! Thank you everyone who has taken time out of their day to read my story. So……this is the chapter I've been waiting for! Our two star crossed lovers meet for the very first time….._

**

Juliet had been having the worst time at the party tonight. Hardly anyone had said a word to her and Sara had practically ditched her when she ran into her boyfriend Lucas. And so, there was Juliet, alone.

She had finally decided that enough was enough and took out her cell phone to call a cab. As she tried to focus on the glowing screen, cursing herself for not wearing her glasses, she suddenly collided with a fellow partier who had drenched her favorite pair of blue jeans in some kind of alcohol.

Juliet stood there for a few seconds simply looking at her jeans when she heard the person speak up.

"I'm so sorry," he mustered up as he set his cup on a side board.

Juliet looked up at the person who had destroyed her pants when she realized who how handsome he was. He was at least six feet and with his stunning green eyes and dark chocolate hair he seemed like a dream.

Romeo looked down at the petite girl he had run into when he noticed just who she was. It was Juliet.

"I'm so sorry," he said in a near stutter.

Juliet was beautiful. She didn't look at all like the other girls at Springwood. Just as Romeo searched his brain for something else to say, she spoke.

"It's not a big deal," she said as she closed up her cell phone and shoved it in her back pocket. "their just jeans." She said knowing that the statement wasn't at all true.

Romeo sighed a sigh of relief and smiled. "Why don't we try to get you a little more dry." He said as the scent of alcohol dripped off of Juliet's jeans.

Juliet nodded and followed the strange boys lead to the bathroom. He towered over her in the hallway as her small 5'3 frame followed behind him. Romeo grabbed some towels from a cabinet in the washroom and handed them to Juliet, unsure if he should go or not.

Juliet tried to get the beverage out of her pants with no success. Finally, she put the towel down and held her hand out for the boy. "I'm Juliet." She said with the slightest smile.

Romeo looked at her for a moment before grabbing her hand. "Romeo."

Juliet had to suppress a giggle when she heard his name. "You're kidding?" she said as she continued to shake his hand.

Romeo returned the smile and shook his head. He couldn't stop thinking about how soft her pale hand was.

Juliet didn't dare let go of his hand. For some reason, she didn't want to. And it seemed like he had the same idea about her as well as he held his grasp.

The small bathroom that the two teenagers were in was very silent until Romeo decided to break the ice. "I'm sorry for running into you before." He said finally letting go of her hand but not her eyes. "I was kinda daydreaming."

Juliet looked intrigued and lent up against the sink, folding her arms. "Daydreaming? I hope it was a good one."

He smiled remembering that his dream was about her and the things they had been doing. "Yes, it was a really good one."

Juliet was the next to speak. "Um, how about we get out of this bathroom?" she said with a small smile.

He nodded and opened the door, letting her out first and following behind her. Juliet led them to what Romeo assumed to be the ballroom. It was completely silent and empty except for them and the grand piano in the corner of the room.

"Sorry, I'm not big on the noise these kinda parties have." She explained as she turned to face him.

Romeo smiled again and stepped closer to her making the space between them only inches. "Same," he said. "I'm not big on parties anyway." He stepped closer.

Juliet looked puzzled and cocked her head slightly. "Really? Aren't you Romeo Monti?"

Romeo sighed and his smile fell. "Yes, but not by choice."

Juliet suddenly felt embarrassed for asking since this appeared to be a sensitive topic for him. "I'm….I'm sorry." She said stepping towards him. "I know what its like to feel like an outcast." She said stepping closer still.

Romeo looked down at the girl before him realizing that they were now touching and she was looking into his eyes as if she was searching for something. "Juliet," he started and picked her chin up in his hand. "you're not an outcast." And with that he bent down and let his lips touch hers.

Juliet felt like fireworks were going off in her stomach and her head was spinning. She rose up on her tip toes and softly deepened the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. Romeo was completely surprised by Juliet's reaction to his kiss and let her kiss him back. As she moved her arms around his neck he wrapped his own at the small of her back.

It was like a dream and both hoped it would never end. Until it did.

The ballroom doors slammed open against he marble walls as Sara ran inside completely taken back by what she found. Juliet was kissing the most popular guy in the school like the world was ending. "Juliet!" Sara cried as the two broke apart hastily. "Ten minutes till curfew!" She yelled out.

Juliet couldn't believe it. Al because of Sara's stupid over protective mother she was going to have to leave this beautiful boy in the dust. Juliet pulled out her phone and flipped it open when to her amazement, Sara was right. It was 11:51!

Juliet stood with her mouth hanging open as Romeo put a hand on her cheek and whispered into her ear. Juliet smiled at what she heard. "Ill find you." And with that he placed a kiss on her cheek and let her go. Before Juliet could say anything, Sara grabbed her by the hand and pulled her away.

Before leaving the ballroom Juliet stole one last glance at her Romeo to see he was smiling at her. And her heart was his.

**

_So sorry about the cliff hanger but that's kinda a specialty of mine. So please review and I promise to respond to the reviews next chapter._


	4. Are you sure?

Romeo stood in the ballroom completely stunned. Juliet was a wonder and he knew he had to follow through with his promise. He just wasn't sure how.

He didn't even know where she lived let alone how he would even _find_ her. Suddenly, he got an idea. Romeo would simply have to ask the people that knew everything about everyone where he would find his beloved Juliet. He would have to ask Springwood's own cheerleaders.

**

Juliet was still smiling when Sara started up her Jeep. She could still feel the tingle of his lips on hers and with out meaning to, Juliet brought a hand to her lips.

Sara noticed the glib smile on her best friends face and decided to break the ice in her own special way. "So what the hell Juliet! Are you sleeping with the rich kid now or what?" she exclaimed as she stopped at a red light.

Juliet was still smiling but managed to answer her friend. "No, we just, we clicked. I cant explain it Sara its just…its like a dream." Juliet kept playing the image of Romeo smiling as she was dragged from the ballroom again and again in her mind as Sara rambled on. Juliet only heard snip-its of what she was saying. "….he's dating the star cheerleader…use you…he's a bad guy…doesn't deserve you…"

Juliet watched the scenery flash by with a new light that night. For the first time ever, the stars seemed to hold a glimmer of hope for her.

**

Romeo approached the loud and giggly cheerleaders with his arms straight at his sides. When the girls noticed him they immediately smiled mischievously and greeted him.

"Hey Romeo," they all said together. A red head stepped closer to him and batted her eye lashes a few times. "If your looking for Rose, she isn't here. I could keep you company though…"

Romeo took a deep breath and stepped away from the girl a little bit. "Um, no thanks. I was actually wondering if you guys could help me with something?"

The moment he said it, he knew what the girls were thinking and he wasn't interested. The redhead spoke up again. "With what?"

"I need to find someone. Her name is Juliet Capitree."

The girls all exchanged a look of disgust. "Her? Why?"

Romeo sighed. "Because I'm curious ok? So do you know where she lives?"

The girls behind the redhead whispered as she spoke. "North Shaw. It's a crap town though."

He took a deep breath so as not to tell the girl off. As he turned around to leave the girl shouted after him.

"Are you and Rose over then?" she said with hate and hope in her voice.

Romeo laughed to himself and continued while he whispered to himself, "We were really never together."

**

Sara dropped Juliet off with zero kind words. All she had to say was that Romeo was a bad guy and she was better than him. Couldn't she simply be happy for her for once? Would that be to hard?

Juliet snuck into the apartment carefully so as not to give herself away to her mother. Then again, why would she care? She didn't show any other type of affection towards her daughter, why punish her for staying out past midnight? Not to Juliet's surprise, her mother wasn't home. _Most likely out with some guy_, she thought.

Juliet closed her bedroom door and took her alcohol stained jeans off, tossing them into her hamper. She pulled her t-shirt off and tossed it aside as well. Juliet open her dresser and pulled out a short silk night gown. She slipped the orange and pink garment over her head and let it fall until it dropped just above her knees. She put a hand through her raven hair and imagined Romeo kissing her again. As if to humor the cruel being in her mind, she began to recite the famous speech the factious Juliet made in Shakespeare's beloved play.

"Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?"

Just as she began the act two part she heard a sound coming from outside her window. She popped her head out the open window to find her beloved Romeo holding on to a tree branch outside her window.

"Hi." He said with a smile.

"Hi." She said.

"So," he began. "Juliet knows the lines to her own play?"

Juliet laughed a bit. "Doesn't Romeo?"

He chuckled to her reply. "Do you think I can come in?" he asked with skepticism in his voice.

Juliet nodded like a child. "Yes!"

Romeo pulled himself through her small window all the while keeping eye contact with her.

"How did you find out where I live?" she asked as he stepped closer to her.

He laughed a little. "I asked around. Is that a little stalker like?"

She shook her head and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Just a little."

Romeo quickly deepened the kiss and they held each other tightly. It wasn't until a breeze rolled through the window that Juliet realized she was wearing her short nightgown. In embarrassment, she pulled away slightly and put a hand on her thigh as if that would cover her skin. Romeo noticed her movement and pulled away. In a quick motion, he zipped his hoodie off and put it around her shoulders.

Juliet smiled up at him and put a hand on his cheek. "This is like a dream." She said quietly.

Romeo kissed her on the forehead. "But it feels right, doesn't it?"

She nodded and smiled wider. "Defiantly."

Romeo kissed her deeper than he had before and she in turn, felt herself moving them towards her bed. She knew it was out of character for her but she couldn't help it. She was a woman possessed. Romeo broke their kiss just as she bumped into her bed and looked at her carefully.

"Are you sure?" he said carefully.

Juliet smiled. "For once, yeah. I'm really sure."

Romeo kissed her again and Juliet felt him slip the sweatshirt off her shoulders.


	5. Ideas

It wasn't until the smell of rain came through her open window that Juliet began to remember the events of the previous night. The party at St. Andrews… meeting Romeo… coming home to find him at her window, just like the play. Juliet rolled onto her side and saw him there, chest bare in the early morning light and his sandy locks wild foretelling the events of their night together. So as not to wake him, she lay there, still as dead, and watched him sleep. His chest rose carefully then fell back down silently. With out meaning to, she fell back into a deep sleep.

By the time that Romeo awoke, Juliet was completely out. He kissed the top of her head then rolled out of her small bed and slipped his boxers back on. Almost silently, he closed her bedroom door behind him and voyaged out into the apartment to find the bathroom.

The apartment was small, extremely small. And very cluttered. Liquor bottles lay randomly around the little residence, a sight that he was defiantly not used to seeing.

The violent rain pouring out side her window woke Juliet up almost as quickly as she had fallen asleep.

"Romeo?" she called out into the dark bedroom. No answer. "Romeo?" she called again, more frantically than before. She sat up, holding a sheet close to bare chest. Sara had been right. He had used her. Even worse, she had let him. Juliet felt like a fool. Breathless, she threw a pillow across her room, smashing it into her dresser. As the small belongings on her dresser tumbled to the floor she brought her knees to her chest and let the tears fall into her bare hands.

The moment that the pillow hit the dresser Romeo ran back to her bedroom and opened the door frantically. He saw the mess of knick knacks on the floor but the thing that bothered him most was his beloved Juliet crying like a small child.

She lifted her head from her hands and looked at her love in the door way. A quizzical look crossed her face as he came to her side a wiped away a tear from her check.

"Juliet," he said with a soft velvet voice. "What happened?"

Juliet sniffed and hugged him close. "I thought you had left…that you…"

Romeo shook his head in her hair and pulled away to smile at her. "Never." He said before kissing her hard and deeply.

Silence filled the room for a while as the two teenagers thought about their night together, each quiet to keep the moment sweet. After a few minutes Romeo pulled away from Juliet and wet his lips before taking a deep breath. "The bottles?" he said in a whisper.

Juliet sighed and shrugged. "My mom…she isn't well.." she said simply.

He nodded in understanding. "My parents don't get it either."

When the silence filled the air again Romeo took the time to study Juliet. She was in a simple sheet covering her chest and he was simply in his underwear. She was so beautiful and he couldn't stop thinking about what she looked like last night and how in-sync they were the whole time. Then, the most amazing thought came to mind and he couldn't help but be slightly frustrated that he hadn't though of it before. "Juliet," he said with a smile. "Juliet lets run!"

She tried to guess if he was serious or not but the expression on his face told her that he was defiantly serious. "Where?' she asked averting her eyes from his smile.

"I don't know, we'll just get in my car and drive!" he nearly shouted.

Juliet nodded in approval before kissing him passionately. "Okay! When?"

"We'll leave tomorrow morning, I'll pick you up before sun rise."

The two kissed and laughed for a moment before hearing a door slam. As if on que, the teenagers parted and began to dress as quickly as possible.

"My mothers home!" Juliet cried as she struggled to tie her robe up.

As Romeo pulled his shirt over his head and zipped up his pants Juliet tried to help him then kissed him. "Tomorrow." She smiled.

"Tomorrow." He said. Before he climbed out he window and back down the tree.

Tomorrow would be the beginning of her life.

**

When Juliet came out into the hall she was immediately surprised to find her cousin Ben walking towards her room.

"Ben!" she exclaimed before hugging him tight.

Ben hugged her back but there was something wrong. Something didn't seem right.

"Juliet?" he whispered.

The sound of her drunk mother wondering through the apartment echoed through the halls as Ben grabbed Juliet's arm and pulled her into her bedroom. When he closed the door Juliet knew something was wrong.

"Ben? Ben what's wrong?!"

He put a hand through his hair and sighed. "You cant stay here anymore."

Her voice seemed to be stuck in her throat. "What?" she choked out.

"I found her wondering the streets this morning, you cant live with a drunk anymore, Juliet. When shes out, hammered, before ten in the morning-" he paced up and down in her room. "No! No more! You and I are leaving!"

Juliet felt the sting of tears but stood still. The image of Romeo popped up in her head and she couldn't help but close her eyes to keep the tears at bay. "I cant go." She whispered as Ben settled down a bit.

"You have to." He said coldly. "For me if nothing else."

His piercing green eyes ate their way through her heart as she felt the tears roll down steadily. Ben hugged her then faced the door. "I'll be back tonight to pick you up. Have your things ready to go." He said before opening the door and leaving her behind alone in her bedroom.

Juliet fell to the floor in shock. She was going to have to leave Romeo behind and the thought was heart wrenching. As she cried silently she tried to think of a way out of her fate.


	6. Choices

After climbing down the tree outside Juliet's window, Romeo made his way through the early morning streets of North Shaw to find his car. Romeo jammed his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. He couldn't stop thinking about Juliet and the life that they would have together. He would take her away tomorrow morning, whereabouts unknown but they would be together for the rest of their days. One day in the future he would marry her and then after that they would have children. They would be happy. He wasn't sure how many children they would have, enough to fill a home with and echo the walls with laughter. It was corny, he knew that, but it was what he wanted. As he approached his black SUV a smile crossed his lips and Romeo knew that tomorrow would be the beginning of their forever.

She remained on the floor. She didn't dare to move. Every thought that crept into her mind made her want to heave out her empty stomach. Trying not to think of her predicament, Juliet thought of the English homework she was supposed to do for Monday. She needed to finish her report on _The Prince_ and she hadn't even started. Then again, why did it matter? Whether she went with Ben or Romeo she wouldn't be at school on Monday anyways. Each wanted to take her away and she had to choose.

She covered her tear stained face with her hands and gave out tearless sobs into her palms. Although she had known Romeo for all of a few hours, she loved him. Was it love? she thought. For in Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet had known each other for all of a few days and they gave their lives for each other. Juliet had always liked to think that the two fictional characters loved each other but maybe it was something else; maybe it was lust that held the two teenagers in the play together. For then maybe, all that held Juliet and Romeo together was lust as well. In all honesty, what was really the difference between lust and love?

Juliet stiffened and put a hand through her unwashed hair. What was it that she wanted? The idea of marrying Romeo seemed crazy for the time being but it didn't seem out of the question. She was only sixteen. An age far too young for a commitment like marriage. One thing was for sure, she was going to need to pick between family and love. Whichever she choose would affect her life forever.

Romeo pulled up into his driveway after making it through the gate that blocked the estate off from the rest of the world. As his car wound through the forested area surrounding the mansion, the image of Juliet in her bed sheet filled his brain. He couldn't help but blush.

He needed to plan out what he was going to do. He needed money, that much was clear. He would break into his fathers safe later today then pack his things, only the necessities of course, and then finish off the other little things like letting his friends know the master plan. Then he would be off to get his love. Romeo smiled to himself. He couldn't help but think of how amazing this all was. Romeo Monti, one of the most popular kids in school who was expected to grow up in his fathers shoes and take over the family business was running off with a girl he had met only last night.

It was strange to think that all this time he had been so close to her without ever really seeing her. They had gone to the same high school together and yet Romeo couldn't recall ever having seen Juliet before. Hers was a face you would remember in a crowd. Those big blue eyes and her alabaster skin; that beautiful long black hair that landed in waves down her back and hung over her small shoulders. She looked as if she should be the homecoming queen…not the daughter of a drunk. Their night together had been amazing. Although Romeo had been intimate with Rose before, he had never thought anything could feel that right as it did with Juliet. Every kiss and every touch was completely electrifying.

As Romeo reached his family home, he parked his car and got out, egger to kick start the day so as to be with Juliet in the morning. Romeo jogged up the little path to the kitchen entrance and opened the door quietly so as not to be heard by the many workers around the house. The clean white kitchen seemed to glow in the sun and it burned his eyes. Mixed with the shine of the stainless steel appliances, the smell of bleach and the extremely strong coffee, he felt sick. Making his way through the kitchen, Romeo made his way to the small staircase that was rarely used. Climbing the stairs silently listing everything he would need to do today, he smiled.

After pacing for at least five minutes, Juliet pulled herself together. If she was going to get anywhere with picking either family or her love, she needed to get dressed. Juliet left her room and made her way to the little bathroom she shared with her mother when she heard the faintest sound coming from her mothers bedroom. Sighing, Juliet tightened her robe and peaked her head into the room to find her mother on her floor, mumbling in her sleep. Ben was right, this was no place for her.

Letting the steaming water pour over her, Juliet closed her eyes. As if in a flashback, she felt Romeo kissing her as he had the previous night. How he had slipped her nighties straps from her petite shoulders and kissed his way from her lips, down to her neck then down her shoulder. How he had held her close all night and kissed her forehead while she drifted in and out of sleep. Quickly, Juliet switched the water from hot to cold and let her body shake with the ice water.

A while later Juliet escaped the bathroom wrapped in a towel and made her way back to her bedroom. She dressed faster than usual, nerves she supposed and settled for a pair of jeans and a silk pink camisole. Reaching for her black jacket she heard her cell phone buzz with an incoming call.

"Hello?" she answered a little more snippy than she had intended.

"Hey Jules, You okay?" her friend Rachel asked.

_No._ "Yeah, I'm fine, just tired."

Rachel was silent for a few seconds before she giggled quietly. "Oh my god! You have to come by the mall today! Sara and I are here and they have these little kids doing karaoke!" she said before laughing again.

"Yeah, sounds like fun," Juliet sighed. "but I have a lot of stuff to do today-" she said before being cut off by Sara screaming into the mouth piece.

"Get your ass down here! Forget that doush, Romeo!" she shouted.

Juliet took a deep breath. She had almost forgotten how quickly everything had happened and how her friends still had no clue about the romance Juliet and Romeo were living.

"Wait! Romeo Monti?" Rachel asked with a harsh tone.

"Hey, I have to go. Bye." Juliet said before she closed her phone and stuck it in her back pocket.

"I have to find her…" Juliet told herself quietly.

Juliet walked through North Shaw until she reached St. Andrews. She had a very particular place she needed to go. It seemed like ever since she was a little girl, the only place she ever felt free and safe was at the library. As she climbed the stairs outside the historic building in downtown St. Andrews, she saw a little girl playing in a puddle surrounded by birds. It was like a hazy dream but she remembered the day that her mother had taken her to Navy Pier when she was a young child to meet up with her father. Bouncing about with her hair in a small braid she remembered when her mother began to cry and how she told Juliet to play with the birds until her father arrived. He never did and until her mother picked her up and got them into a taxi, Juliet couldn't help but feel relieved that her father hadn't come. She never felt safe around her father. It was her mother who had always been her ally. She never saw her father again. When she had gotten older, her mother told her that he left with another woman. It was just Juliet and her mother from then on. They were each others best friends up until recently.

Juliet walked into the library on a mission. She wasn't looking for a book. She was looking for the one person that would be able to help her with her choice. Juliet was looking for Mary.


End file.
